Out shopping TCs this weekend. Need to be able to tow directly from the airsafe hitch on the truck (effectively a 12-15" extension). Would like more room than our current Lance 735 provides. (it also has structural problems, leading to the desire for replacement)
Huge frustration.
We went to look at a used Lance 851. It's almost perfect for our needs. The slider makes the dining area comfortable, it comes with the bells and whistles I want, not the ones I don't. The bigger tank capacities would be very helpful for the real camping we do (as opposed to living at fairgrounds, the other primary use) It's one of the only models ever made for a long bed truck with a slider that fits almost fully within the pickup bed.
Unfortunately it has this stupid apron and bumper that hang down on the back for no apparent reason other than to provide a step up into the camper and block off the trailer hitch. The sales guy says we can't cut the bumper off or notch it because it's "structural". It doesn't really look like part of the structure to me, but I'm no engineer and can't really afford a unit this expensive to experiment on. Without the bumper in the way I could use the hitch directly.
I think I'm being foiled by someone's notion of aesthetics; there's no obvious functional reason the camper had to be designed with apron, bumper, and side wings as it fits on the truck bed otherwise, with only a few inches overhang. I'm super frustrated because this camper really could be ideal for my use.
Have any of you ever eliminated the rear bumper on your TC? Did anything bad happen?
Thanks for tolerating my rant.
